Posts by Maeri Ferguson

The early bird gets the worm at this year’s Newport Folk Festival, with many of the can’t-miss acts performing in the first half of each day. Sure, headliners like Elvis Costello, Alabama Shakes and Father John Misty are sure to draw huge crowds, but for a truly special Folk Fest experience, set your alarm clock […]

[rating=7.00] Whether in Nickel Creek or Watkins Family Hour, Sara Watkins has always stood out as an enormous talent. She has the kind of voice you can’t believe is real. It’s breathtakingly beautiful at every point in her range. We’ve watched her grow and evolve as a singer-songwriter over the years, and on her latest […]

[rating=8.00] The smooth-voiced Austinite tenor Michael Fracasso is known for his heavenly hybrid of folk, rock, country, pop, blues, roots…the list goes on. Fracasso cannot be pinned down. His sound is special, and no matter what he’s singing, you know him when you hear him. (The first time I heard him, I was upstairs in my […]

[rating=7.00] Now that the novelty of their name has mostly worn off for fans, we are free to focus on Diarrhea Planet’s continuous evolution as a killer rock band. Their latest record  is a bombastic, hook-filled ride through sun-drenched, beer-soaked garages. Their brand of pop-infused punk rock is more addictive than ever on Turn to […]

[rating=8.00] William Tyler is a force of nature when he plays guitar, and though his previous records have been compelling and rich, his latest, Modern Country, is his most layered yet. Working with a full band that includes Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche, Tyler plays with a more melodic sound this time, making his guitar act […]

[rating=7.00] Through his free-wheeling psychedelic sound, Steve Gunn appears to have found some zen. His latest record, Eyes on the Lines, is a journey best taken outside in the sunshine, on fresh grass and dirt paths, under blue skies and across meadows and streams. It’s a vivid, visual album that incorporates trippy, meandering guitar riffs […]

[rating-9.00] “I’m a new kinda broken/it’s getting harder not to feel,” Robert Ellis sings, full of feels, on the soaring single “How I Love You” off his new self-titled record. His fourth full-length album, Robert Ellis offers up a new version of the formidable singer-songwriter. Ellis is at his most vulnerable this time around, both […]

[rating=7.00] From the mischievous opening guitar riffs on Aluminium, the new record from Birmingham, AL rockers Vulture Whale, there’s an implied naughtiness that will only intrigue you to keep listening. And their heady jams will continue to twist and turn in ways that will make you want to head-bang and shake your ass in equal measure. […]

[rating=8.00] We hold artists like Sonny Smith near and dear because they never cease to surprise us, entertain us, intrigue us and leave us wanting more. Smith continues to make sweet, strange music with Sonny and the Sunsets on the newly released Moods Baby Moods, a cheeky and fantastic follow-up to last year’s weirdly wonderful […]

[rating=8.00] About a year after their stellar record Me Oh My, Asheville, NC band The Honeycutters have created a fresh batch of stunners with the follow-up On the Ropes. Lead by the heavy-hitting vocals of Amanda Anne Platt, the band continues to hone their strong country sound with just the right mix of fun and […]